 Adirondack
Curriculum
Project - www.adkcurriculum.org 
NYS Content Area Standard
ELA: Standard 1:
Interpret and evaluate data, facts and ideas
Standard
2: Read literature published in a
given era; Write imaginative
(original) literature
Standard
3:Write a critical essay comparing
and contrasting two works of art
Arts: Standard 3:
Respond to and analyze works of art
• Explain the visual and other sensory qualities in art & nature
& their relationship to the social environment
• Analyze & interpret the ways in which political, cultural, social
religious and psychological concepts and themes have been explored in
visual art.
NATIONAL STANDARDS
- Language Arts: Reading; Writing
- Arts:
Understands the Arts in Relation to History & Culture; Understands
the Merits of Specific Artwork
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Title: Adirondack
Art
& Literature Project
Grade Level: 11th Grade English
Author: Terri Smith
Email: tsmith@NEWCOMBCSD.ORG
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Adirondack Curriculum Content Area
___ Natural History
___ Human History
_√_ Culture & the Arts
___ Government & Civics
___ Economy
___ Health, Recreation &
Life Skills |
Investigative Question or Issue: How can an exhibition
book reflect our appreciation and interpretation of Adirondack,
Catskill and
Hudson Valley art and writing within the historical milieu in which
they were created?
Challenge:
Context for Challenge: The students
will be analyzing and writing about regional art and literature of
their choice (based on specific teacher directions) and will each
contribute pages to a class “exhibition book”. The author was able to
have a local artist give a presentation to her class on historic as
well as contemporary artists whose work focused on this region. The
guest artist also modeled the process of
analyzing art (see supplementary Analyzing
Art Worksheet). Artists of the Hudson River School created works in
the 19th century inspired by a much broader region than the name
implies, including much of the Adirondacks. Many contemporary artists
are also inspired by the forests, rivers, lakes and mountains and this
project provides an opportunity to learn about local artists and
craftspeople. Area arts councils or arts in education organizations may
be able to provide funding for an “artist-inresidence”. Teaming up with
an art teacher might also be useful.
Directions:
Distribute and discuss hand-out, preferably after a presentation by an
artist. Provide a list of appropriate regional literature, art history
resources, and a list of contemporary regional artists. Allow students
to come to consensus on format, size, font, and design of the
“exhibition book” that they will collectively produce. One or more
students may elect to function as book “editors” and/or design the
cover. Review Product Quality Checklist.
Student Handout
Reference Page for
Adirondack Artists
Student Book Example
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Quality Standards:
See Product Quality
Checklist
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Adapted for the Adirondack
Curriculum Project from
the work of Education By Design TM and Leading EDGE, LLC
©ACP 2002
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